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Rony

@ronyhirsch.bsky.social
550 followers 340 following 54 posts

Postdoc @ Seth Lab (Sussex) | Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience | Consciousness | mesec.co Co-founder and VP ronyhirsch.github.io/minds-matter

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Reposted by Rony
Trends in Cognitive Sciences @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Online Now: Science from the bottom up
dlvr.it
Science from the bottom up
How a scientific community is organized can affect whether disagreement drives progress or leads to isolation. Students and postdocs are uniquely placed to build communities that bridge theoretical and methodological divides. Drawing on a student-led society in consciousness science, we show how empowering early-career researchers can turn fragmentation into collaboration.
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to meet an incredible group of people and build something new together. Today, our paper - "Science from the bottom up" - is officially out in TiCS. Free access link: authors.elsevier.com/a/1njPQ4sIRv... [pic: meal planning for the 2022 MESEC Workshop]
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The MESEC workshop has officially begun! We’re opening with @smfleming.bsky.social, introducing computational modelling in consciousness science and setting the stage for the week ahead. 🧠
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Thank you!! 🎊 The thrill is mutual ☺️
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Thanks!! ☺️
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Thank you so much Liad 🎉 it’s been quite a journey for both of us since I first came into your (then, new!) lab. Couldn't be more grateful for everything you've taught me 🙏
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Thank you so much!! Indeed it isn't 😊 looking forward!
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Long overdue update: - finished my PhD (officially a Dr 💃) - received a BA Postdoctoral Fellowship - started working with @anilseth.bsky.social ! Excited for what's next, and *incredibly* grateful to @liadmudrik.bsky.social who has been my supervisor for almost a decade [new city, new football team]
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Meet the mentors joining us at this year’s MESEC Workshop on Computational Modelling for Consciousness Science:✨ @meganakpeters.bsky.social @adriendoerig.bsky.social Pedro Mediano and Jitka Annen 🧠 We’re very excited to have them with us in Carcassonne!🥰 mesec.co/event/worksh...
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Consciousness researchers - it's not too late to participate in this short survey and share your thoughts on the field's organizational structure 🎊 (and many thanks to the >200 who already filled it out!) socialtau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
socialtau.qualtrics.com
An academic survey on the organizational structure of consciousness science
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Thank you so much Lea! We ( @cam-signorelli.bsky.social @joaquimstreicher.bsky.social @lenoreblum.bsky.social & Mar Estrellas) were really lucky to have you!
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Thanks, Anil!! And thanks to all the people who came to the @assc2026.bsky.social tutorial and made it both fun and inspiring 😊 For those who did not fill out our survey about communities in consciousness research, it's not too late >> socialtau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
@assc2026.bsky.social is less than a week away, and there's still time to share your thoughts in our survey about organizations and communities in consciousness research (*many* thanks to the >200 who have already filled it out!!) 🤗 socialtau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
socialtau.qualtrics.com
An academic survey on the organizational structure of consciousness science
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
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Reposted by Rony
Niccolo Negro @niccolonegro.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
New preprint on non-epistemic values in consciousness science! philpapers.org/rec/NEGVEI-2 will also present it at @assc2026.bsky.social Any feedback welcome! :)
philpapers.org
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Ishan Singhal @singhal.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
If our experiences unfold like a stream over time, how would this stream unfold in other animal species? Together with @birchlse.bsky.social and @anilseth.bsky.social, a review of temporal illusions and a path for temporal phenomenology in animals! a 🧵/n www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Finally submitted my response - The Stuff Matters - to the 50(!) commentaries on my 2025 BBS paper 'Conscious AI and biological naturalism'. I'm sorry to all commentators that it took so long. Hopefully the whole caboodle will be published soon. Target paper here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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Nadine Dijkstra @nadinedijkstra.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Feeling incredibly honored to receive the William James Prize from the @theassc.bsky.social for our paper on how the brain distinguishes imagery and perception! Thank you to the committee and thanks @smfleming.bsky.social for being the best mentor!
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Niccolo Negro @niccolonegro.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res... Don't miss this online workshop on tests for consciousness! Thanks @aidaelamrani.bsky.social and @johanneskleiner.bsky.social for this!
uni-bamberg.de
C-Tests Workshop - Bamberg Mathematical Consciousness Science Initiative (BAMΞ)
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
We're taking an inclusive approach - whether or not they identify as currently working on consciousness, if they have a perspective on consciousness-science communities, we'd like to hear it. That said, the easiest is probably to take it yourself and see who in your network it would resonate with 😊
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Yes! The survey will ask you in more detail about exactly those things (from methods to the feeling of isolation), as these are what we want to learn more about
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Our goal is to map the organizational landscape of the field. Preliminary results will be shared in our @assc2026.bsky.social tutorial, but this is *not* just for ASSC folks: if you research consciousness at any career stage, anywhere, we want to hear from you - and our results will be public!
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
What does the social infrastructure of consciousness research look like? Let’s find out! 🤓 Answer our (@cam-signorelli.bsky.social @lenoreblum.bsky.social @joaquimstreicher.bsky.social & Mar Estarellas) short survey, and share the link to help us reach as many consciousness researchers as possible!
socialtau.qualtrics.com
An academic survey on the organizational structure of consciousness science
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Thank you so much @birchalexander.bsky.social !! There's a lot that I didn't cover in the talk and can be explored on the website: ronyhirsch.github.io/minds-matter
ronyhirsch.github.io
Minds Matter
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
What a delight & privilege it was to be the scientific chair for @mesec-community.bsky.social's 2026 winter school in Ephesus. A wonderful group of students, and simply outstanding organisation from Emma Moorhead, Hector Mendoza, Aziza Chebil, Luis Lips, & Lara Brauchle 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 mesec.co/event/winter...
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Thank you @smfleming.bsky.social ! Super excited about this! ✨ Join Consciousness Club this Wednesday to talk about consciousness, moral status, zombies, pets, LLMs, and more 🖖
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
🎉 Day 1 of the Winter School is complete! We kicked things off with our chair @anilseth.bsky.social diving into the big questions of consciousness. Participants, tutors, and the chair already mixing and getting to know each other. Off to a week of ideas and great discussions. ☀️ @ibroorg.bsky.social
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
6/ From Mar 22-26 it’s an equal honour to be the scientific chair for the 2026 @mesec-community.bsky.social winter school, in Epheseus, in beautiful Turkey. I’m excited to dive deep into consciousness discussion with the 20 participants: mesec.co/event/winter...
mesec.co
MESEC | MESEC Winter School 2026
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Hi Vadim! You just sign up here >> www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res... And yes, the talks where speakers agreed to be recorded will be uploaded online 😊
uni-bamberg.de
Towards a Measurement Theory for Consciousness Science - Bamberg Mathematical Consciousness Science Initiative (BAMΞ)
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
This has shaped up to be quite an exciting event! Join us ( @johanneskleiner.bsky.social @jolienfrancken.bsky.social ) this Monday to explore different perspectives about measurement theory & consciousness science 🤓 www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res...
uni-bamberg.de
Towards a Measurement Theory for Consciousness Science - Bamberg Mathematical Consciousness Science Initiative (BAMΞ)
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Johannes Kleiner @johanneskleiner.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
In case you're interested in foundations of measurement in #ConSci, you're cordially invited to join our upcoming workshop! sh1.sendinblue.com/3hbk0uthapxp... A huge thank you to my co-organizers @ronyhirsch.bsky.social and @jolienfrancken.bsky.social on this occasion! #ConSci
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Liad Mudrik @liadmudrik.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Another beautiful work from @ronyhirsch.bsky.social , now with @niccolonegro.bsky.social : they find that contrary to may philosophical stands, public views do not consider consciousness to be neither necessary nor sufficient for moral status! Find this, and many other interesting results, below 👇
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Thank you so much!! (my aesthetic instincts wouldn't have existed if not for @liadmudrik.bsky.social 😅)
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Much more about what matters, killing zombies, and saving your pet - is in the preprint. The website also lets you explore responses to all questions (and their combinations). Huge thanks to @niccolonegro.bsky.social & @liadmudrik.bsky.social for this journey. Would love to hear your thoughts! 6/6
doi.org
OSF
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
What did we find? Enough to build a website so people can explore the data! (ronyhirsch.github.io/minds-matter) To our question: despite a clear relationship between the two, consciousness doesn't seem to be perceived as necessary for moral status. And it doesn't appear to be sufficient either. 5/n
ronyhirsch.github.io
Minds Matter
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
We surveyed >1000 people with diverse backgrounds in AI, animals, ethics, and consciousness research. We ran exploratory analyses on 30%, preregistered and replicated the findings on the remaining 70%, and then performed an additional preregistered follow-up targeting specific survey questions. 4/n
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
We aimed to fill this gap by triangulating across hypothetical scenarios, direct questions, and entity attributions, designing a survey that addresses the relationship between consciousness and moral status from multiple angles, while probing other potential factors (e.g., agency, valence). 3/n
doi.org
OSF
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Whether consciousness is necessary and/or sufficient for moral status isn’t a new question. But empirical data is limited: studies focus on specific entities, single question types, or combine multiple mental capacities, making it hard to draw broad conclusions about their perceived relationship 2/n
doi.org
OSF
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
New preprint! with @niccolonegro.bsky.social and @liadmudrik.bsky.social doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/ve6c5_v1 Consciousness seems central to moral status debates, from AI to animal welfare. But is consciousness necessary for moral status? Is it sufficient? We surveyed >1000 people to find out. 🧵 1/n
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
🔔 APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN 🧠 Already fomo'ing the Winterschool ? At the Workshop, you can collectively explore the interplay between mental imagery and consciousness research ! May 30 - June 7 Ephesus Retreat, Turkey 850€ (bursaries) 20 participants ⏳ APPLY UNTIL February 15 mesec.co/event/worksh...
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
✨ The holiday magic at work ✨ Due to many of your requests, we’re extending the MESEC Winter School application deadline to January 7th. If you needed a bit more time, consider this your sign 🧠⚡ mesec.co/event/winter...
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Rony @ronyhirsch.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
Really enjoyed speaking at BAMΞ's Paradigms in Consciousness Science Workshop! Thanks to the organizers Lara Bräuchle @johanneskleiner.bsky.social @cam-signorelli.bsky.social for putting together such a great event 🤩 www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmdX...
youtube.com
Rony Hirschhorn: Naturalistic Methods in Consciousness Research
YouTube video by Mathematical Consciousness Science
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
MESEC is committed to inclusivity in practice, not just in principle. We offer bursaries and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, alongside a strong commitment to a safe and respectful environment. 🥁 Applications are open until december 28th : mesec.co/event/winter...
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Johannes Kleiner @johanneskleiner.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Join us for an exciting workshop on the 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 this week! Dec 10-12, Hybrid Format www.uni-bamberg.de/en/bamxi/res... A huge thank you to all of our wonderful speakers! 🙏 👇 #ConSci
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
It's a real honour to be chairing next year's @mesec-community.bsky.social winter school on consciousness science, March 22-28👇🏽
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Mediterranean Society for Consciousness Science @mesec-community.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
🥁Thrilled to announce that Prof. Anil Seth will chair the MESEC Winter School 2026 in Turkey🥁 @anilseth.bsky.social One unforgettable week exploring consciousness with one of the most pioneering thinkers in the field 🌟🧠 🎓 Applications open soon — stay tuned! 👀 🔗 mesec.co/event/winter...
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Liad Mudrik @liadmudrik.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
1/2 if you found the Butlin et al report on consciousness in AI interesting, we hope you will enjoy this TiCS paper! We explain more about the indicators approach and how it can be applied when assessing C in AI.>> www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Identifying indicators of consciousness in AI systems
Rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities has drawn fresh attention to the prospect of consciousness in AI. There is an urgent need …
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Thomas Spooks 🎃👻💀 @thomasfuchs.at · 31/10/2025
Meme showing six logical operators illustrated with jack-o'-lantern images. 

trick OR treat 
trick AND treat 
trick XOR treat 
trick NOR treat 
trick NAND treat 
trick XNOR treat
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
1/🧵 Out today in @frontiersin.bsky.social : “Consciousness science: where are we, where are we going, and what if we get there?” By @axc.bsky.social @liadmudrik.bsky.social, & me (a CIFAR & @erc.europa.eu production 🧠). www.frontiersin.org/journals/sci...
frontiersin.org
Advancing consciousness science
Defining new directions in consciousness research and exploring implications for medicine, technology, and ethics
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Niccolo Negro @niccolonegro.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Happy to share this new paper (open access) on the logic of extrapolations in consciousness science, written with @liadmudrik.bsky.social
cambridge.org
Extrapolating Other Consciousnesses: The Prospects and Limits of Analogical Abduction | Philosophy of Science | Cambridge Core
Extrapolating Other Consciousnesses: The Prospects and Limits of Analogical Abduction
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Niccolo Negro @niccolonegro.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
You can now register to this year's ISPSM *online* conference: www.ispsmind.com/internationa... Great line-up of keynote speakers and symposia, plus a fabulous and diverse program covering all phil of mind - don't miss it! #consci #philmind #philsci
ispsmind.com
Conference :: Internationalassociationphilosophyofsciencesofmind
3rd Annual Web Conference of the International Society for the Philosophy of the Sciences of the Mind
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